Live & Work Longer: Great Expectations – 1

This may be covering old ground but the conversation isn’t going away and likely will remain open for decades to come. For many now over the age of 50; prospects are that we will, on the whole, continue to live longer. But what is an uncertain expectation is, how much of our later life will we need and/or desire to work?

Great expectations. Some people say they are tired from working so long and hard and can hardly wait until they don’t have to any more. How fortunate or unfortunate is that? Significant changes in health condition at any stage of later life can be sudden. The option to work or not is thus decided – more or less or maybe just differently.

My father worked into his 70’s on a declining scale of activity (paid and unpaid), which kept him both mentally and socially engaged; even while he lived with difficult but fluctuating health issues – until the “live & work” equation just wouldn’t function. This likely will be the reality for most people.

For those still working full time on cruise control, pining for retirement sooner than later, what will become of their new “life & work” expectations. Some would say work no more. Meet them a year or so later and they tell you they’re retired. Ask how that’s going, and the answer is I’m doing some project work on a short term contract. Well then you’re not retired, are you?